The Eligible Bachelor
by klcm
Summary: When their families force them to marry, Garcia doubts she'll ever be able to change Morgan's ways... Complete AU story!
1. The New Couple

**Disclaimer: I do not own a thing!**

**A/N: **_So another story I know, but this is the only thing I can write at the moment it seems! It's an AU so I hope you like it =)_

**The Eligible Bachelor **– _Part One_

* * *

"Penelope, he's here!"

She sighed as her mother's voice burst into the room. Today would mark a change in the Garcia family fold forever. The baby of the family, the disappointment of them all, was now being forced to marry the party animal of the other wealthiest family in town - Both in a will to save their inheritance and spot in their family.

"Smile," Penelope's mother, Elena, demanded as she noted Penelope's solemn look. "You do nothing to suit this family, this is the least you can do, Penny dear."

"How is marrying someone I don't love going to suit you?" Penelope retorted, still not impressed by this predicament.

Elena glowered at her daughter for a second, "You're the one that took to gallivanting half way around the world, spending a year in either London or Paris and you're the one that has had run ins with the police over protests more times than I care to count. All of which cost me and your father. You could at least make me and your father proud by doing this to look after the Garcia name." Elena's gaze narrowed on Penelope.

"Wow, you make me sound like an embarrassment to you," Penelope muttered and tried not to allow her hurt to show too much.

"You're not, but do you know how _embarrassing_ it is for me to have a daughter unmarried at twenty-five in our social circle as well? Penelope, it's unheard of!" Elena exclaimed at her daughter, "You need to be settled and spreading our perfect genetics, Penny," Elena then smiled and calmed, "Arranged marriages work so well in our lives and it's about time a man reigned you in."

"And he's going to do this is he?" Penelope asked as she crossed her arms over her chest, "From what I hear he is the biggest party animal going."

"Well," Elena stalled herself for a moment, "You can _reign_ each other in." She then turned her back on her daughter, as she reached the door she turned back. "We aren't discussing this anymore, Penny. You're going to meet him and realise that you two could be a perfect couple."

Following her mother, she tried to relax her frown and as they stood in wait she tried to relax her entire body, but this was nerve wracking. She was handing her life over and to whom? To a man she had grown up with, but hadn't seen in nearly a decade that was who.

Just as discus hit her, the doors opened up and there was her eligible bachelor – _Derek Morgan. _Son of the Morgan duo that had racked in the money just by breathing it seemed.

Two of the wealthiest families were being brought together after today. Not for love, or a future of happiness, but for wealth.

"You remember Penelope, don't you Derek?" Fran Morgan asked her son as she pushed him towards her for an introduction.

"Of course, mother," Derek commented and then he smirked at her as he reached for her hand to kiss it. "Still as beautiful as ever, Penelope," He watched her blush at that comment and then gently let go and stood up straight. He was the perfect gentleman when he needed to be and Derek would play his cards right for the mean time.

"You haven't really changed yourself, Derek," Penelope commented back, hoping her blush had disappeared, "Still got that award winning smile that had girls falling at your feet in the playground."

Chuckling, Derek nodded at the memory, "It's good to know you remember me so well." Derek noted honestly, "So, Penelope, what have you been doing with yourself lately? You've been rather quiet in the tabloids."

_Was that an intentional jab at her?! _"Sometimes a little down time is worth it," Penelope retorted and felt her mother elbow her in the ribs and was dragged over to the couches as they waited for the lunch to be served, "I see you haven't though, do you have any other plans besides partying hard?"

"Actually," He began, "I'm looking into a certain business."

"A _business_?" Penelope quipped disbelievingly and tilted her head, "Care to explain?"

"I'm waiting on the strip club down town to become available for me buy and make into an upscale burlesque club," He remarked and saw everyone stare at him in utter shock and horror. "Joking!" He laughed and sat up, everyone laughing, but he noticed Penelope didn't, "Everything okay, Penelope?"

"I don't think I share the joke," She commented as she remained completely stone faced. She knew him, she knew, given half the chance, Derek would love to do that. His entire life was built upon alcohol and ladies. Combing the two would be utter genius to him.

Derek laughed confidently, "I'm pretty sure we can find some areas our sense of humours agree on."

"I think you've just found yourself a challenge," Penelope remarked, thinking she had caught his bluff.

"Challenge accepted," Derek said and relaxed back into his seat and ran his hand over his lip as he watched Penelope. He loved how he got her, she tried not to stare at him, but he made her uncomfortable. She was so differently, personality wise than when she was little, but she was still the same Penelope he had grown up with.

"Miss. Elena," The household butler said as he came up to Elena's side, "Lunch is served."

"Thank you, Charles; we'll be right through," She dismissed him sweetly and looked to the other three around her, "Shall we?"

"We shall, Mrs Garcia" Derek commented and stood up, straightening his suit out and waited for the other women to stand before he followed them out. He deliberately took a few strides back just so that he could check out Penelope's butt and he was glad he did.

"Stop staring," Penelope hissed over her shoulder to stop him and she heard him chuckle. Penelope, however, went and sat at the table, we Derek opposite her, and couldn't lose the scowl on her face.

Penelope watched him from her side of the table. Sure, Derek Morgan was attractive, and he was the epitome of a God and he had that smile that could just melt your worries, but she knew he reputation as a player, as the eligibly rich bachelor. He was never going to marry and give up the life he enjoyed, the life he was almost famous for.

It was never going to happen.

So what did that make Penelope in his life? She dipped her vision as the images in her head did not promote a happy picture. Derek was going to be marrying her just for wealth and not because he felt a damn thing for her. He saw dollars, and Penelope saw hopes and dreams just exploding. Maybe she needed to dream of those money bags too. Maybe that would appease her better.

How was she going to marry a lie? Easy, because she secretly yearned for her parents' approval and with it she might actually get she wanted – their love.

"I think we need a photo of the new couple!" Penelope's mother exclaimed excited and stole Penelope thoughts as she looked towards Derek's mother. "I think we need to start documenting every moment of this."

"Really we don't," Penelope groaned. She was not enjoying today at all. She wished she could fly back to London or Paris and just get lost again.

"We do," Derek said picking up in Penelope's resistance. He knew if there was one thing he was going to enjoy about this new turn in life; it would be challenging Penelope with everything she did. "Why don't you want a picture taken with your future husband?"

"I don't look nice enough for photos," Penelope tried to get out of this as her mother and Derek's ready their cameras. She would even take spilling her red wine down her cream dress right about now.

"You look gorgeous, so come here, Penelope," Derek said lovingly as he stood with an arm out, "We need to start with smiles to enjoy this."

Penelope rolled her eyes and obeyed unwillingly. This was happening whether she liked it or not. The moment she got beside him, he pulled her in tight against his side and smiled as the camera snapped away. Penelope knew he would be like this, he was always a self assured child, why would age change that? It wouldn't, it would just make it grow, much like his ego. She smiled tightly and uncomfortable, but she knew she had to do this for her family, to make them love her for the reasons they saw fit.

She had to be the best Garcia she could, not the one she wanted to be.

Pulling her even closer – _if that was even possible!_ – Derek leaned down, "I'm in it for the money, Baby Girl," He whispered into her ear, kissing her neck as he slipped his hand down to cover her butt, "Don't think I'm going to let you ruin this for me."

Penelope knew she was dealing with the devil now, but she couldn't be a bigger disappointment than she already was.

"Remove your hand, Hot Stuff," She ground out to him between her bright and fake smile, "And you'll still have a finger to put the ring on so you can get your money."

Derek chuckled, "I think we're going to survive just fine in _our _marriage."

Penelope didn't share the same sentiment.


	2. Forced Together

**Disclaimer: I do not own a thing!**

**A/N: **_Thank you for the response to this story! I really hope you continue to like where I go with it, it's been quite fun to write! =) _

**The Eligible Bachelor **_– Part 2_

* * *

"You got it then," Derek said as he slumped down next to her heavily.

It didn't take Penelope long to push him away, "You stink." She sat up, moving to the edge of her place on the couch and looked down at the half drunk Derek as he smiled up at her. She rolled her eyes, "Yeah, I got it," She mumbled and looked down at the overpriced rock on her finger.

Moving upwards, Derek put his cheek to hers, "I danced with a girl that looked just like you."

"Sure," Penelope scoffed.

"I bet you could move better than she did," Derek continued and sat up, "All in the hips and I couldn't stop touching." He watched her squirm and realised he never made a woman like this. It excited him beyond his wildest expectations but shocked him to the core. Usually women were like putty in his hands!

"Derek," Fran broke the moment with an exasperated tone. "Drunk again, really?" She asked him disapprovingly. "No wonder you're always late," She continued and handed him aspirin and a glass of water. "We have a surprise for the both of you, so sober up a little, Baby."

"Surprise?" Both Penelope and Derek spoke at once.

Fran just smirked, nodded and then proceeded, "Already in tune." She then turned and left them alone.

Penelope looked to Derek, "What the hell do they have for us?"

"Got me beat," Derek shrugged and downed the drink, eying over the glass as the large door opened and in came a man with a stoke build, blonde hair to match Penelope's and a smile that only screamed cosmetic. Derek could only see the dollar signs that Mr. Garcia wore all over – much like his own father.

"How's my Penny Pot?" Penelope's father asked as he entered Derek and Penelope's space in the room and looked straight at Penelope rather than anyone else. "It's good you can keep up appearances."

Penelope's smile dropped then and she gathered it back together. "Of course, Daddy. Anything to keep you happy."

"It's good to finally see, Princess," He poured his snubbed adoration over her and then turned, forgetting about her, ignoring Derek entirely.

Leaning in, Derek pressed his face to Penelope's arm, "Ahh, so you're daddy's prized baby," Derek commented as he watched Penelope continue to stare at her father. "_Daddy's girl_," He murmured as he sat up and downed the large glass of water his mother had handed him.

Penelope looked back at him; her mouth curled slightly, "Rather be a daddy's girl than a mamma's boy." She then got up and decided to entertain, show her genuine idea to making this all work out well.

Derek watch her intently, and chuckled, "Oh yeah!" He exclaimed, "Definitely all in the hips, Baby Girl!"

"I'd be quiet and sober up if I were you, Mr Morgan," Penelope quipped as she looked back at Derek. She was annoyed that he didn't see how little she really meant to her parents. "Or mommy won't be giving you a surprise."

"You wound me," Derek played hurt, clutching his chest and laughed as Penelope looked back once more with a dangerously teasing glance. He sat back, downing the water and smirked hard. She was exactly his type of girl, but he wasn't one to settle down. There were just some animals you couldn't tame and Derek was one of them. Derek Morgan wanted to be a bachelor for the rest of his life.

"You'll get used to it, Stud," Penelope retorted with a self assured grin and winked at him before turning back to her mother. She just had to immerse herself in this world even if she didn't want to. There was far too much riding on her to stray and go back to her old habits of using and hiding from this life at the same time.

Penelope didn't even realise she was playing around with her newly placed engagement ring until her mother stepped in close and knocked her out of her own thoughts.

"You like the ring?" She asked pleasantly, happy to see a ring on her daughter's finger at long last.

Nodding, Penelope tried to keep her mother happy, "It's beautiful. You all chose a lovely ring." She said as she made the diamond dancing in the light and she caught the small glimpses of purple hues to the stone. She wouldn't admit it easily to Derek, but she loved the ring.

"Actually, Derek brought you that ring," Elena told her daughter and she smiled. "It's really rather gorgeous, Darling."

Penelope looked up, her eyes glazed with her shock, her mouth opened in the same manner, "He did?" She asked and both Fran and her mother nodded at her. Penelope bit her lip and looked back at the ring. Maybe she had misjudged Derek? Maybe he wasn't half as bad as she thought he was. Maybe he was a keeper. She quickly shoot her head, she had seen the photos of him spread out in the papers and in magazines and he was a self confirmed bachelor. Penelope knew she wouldn't be able to change that. Especially when she was _not _his type. They were living a horrid lie and the general public would eat right through it before it died a horrible death.

Deciding to move things on away from the ring, she turned to look at Derek as he sat on the couch in the room. "Derek are you presentable now?" Penelope called out lovingly, her expression not quite matching her faked tone. "I want to know what our surprise is!"

"Always was eager for a surprise," Penelope's father, Daniel said as he pulled her close and kissed her temple. "Always will be my little girl." Daniel watched as Derek came up behind Penelope and looped his hand around her back. "I expect you to take good care of your collateral."

Penelope gasped then. She had never felt more like a used pawn in her life, but right now, she was just the glue keeping Derek's hand on his inheritance and the reason her father was calm enough to laugh.

"Oh believe me, Mr Garcia; I think I'll keep her perfectly fine."

"I am not an object," Penelope said and pushed away from Derek. "I am no one's collateral, nor am I just a thing to be used. I am as much a part of this as you are."

Daniel tapped her nose with his glass of champagne and smiled, "Always did have your mother's feisty nature in you." He looked at Derek, "You can have fun keeping her tame."

Frowning, and almost pouting, Penelope's mood worsened and she crossed her arms over her chest, "Can we get on with this?" She asked Derek and then looked to her mother.

"Oh yes," Elena said as she noted her daughter's mood change and stepped forward, "James, I think you should start."

"Because you're both newly engaged, we decided you needed something that would bring you even closer together. A way to explore your new life and get to know each other on a more intimate basis," Derek's father, James spoke with a voice full with pride.

"We bought you an apartment!" Penelope's mother practically bounced around with enthusiasm.

_Great, mommy and daddy are buying us everything! _Penelope's mood continued to sour on her.

"Sorry! I've been too excited since we found you this place, and we've been renovating it for months and-" Elena looked to Fran to finish off and excitement.

With a bright smile, Fran faced her son and future daughter-in-law, "You move in tomorrow," Fran spoke up delightfully happy. "It's our treat to the pair of your being so amicable and just looking... _perfect_ together."

_Whoa fast!_ Penelope sat shell shocked. She had just been reunited with Derek Morgan a little more than a week and here she was, moving in with him. She had to, it was part of their marriage – _whenever that was_ – and Penelope was dreading every moment of this life.

Derek leaned in, again to whisper to her, "Home _sweet_ home, Baby Girl."

He seemed taken with that nickname. She would give him that, but any more of his touches and he might find himself limbless before long. Penelope wasn't going to cow tail to Derek. The only people she was going to be obeying wash her parents to satisfy them and keep her spot in the family. She had to make them proud of her for being able to be a good daughter.

Pulling her lips into a tight grin, Penelope took her new house key off of her mother and thanked her.

Life with an eligible bachelor?

Not Penelope's idea of happiness, but at least Derek was getting his kicks.

Maybe she would grow to love this life.

_Maybe._


	3. Not The Good Guy

**Disclaimer: I do not own a thing!**

**A/N: **_ You do not how pleased I am you enjoying this story! It's just a little lovable fun =) I hope you continue to enjoy this and know I am grateful for all of the reviews you have given me! _

**The Eligible Bachelor **_– Part 3_

* * *

Scrunching her face up, Penelope walked around the kitchen. This place was insanely huge. She took a look across the room from her spot by the massive double fridge and saw Derek admiring the archways that led into other rooms. The one on the left took you into the living room which consequently led to corridors on opposite sides of the room that led to two bedrooms and the one on the right took you through into the dining room.

This place was too big. Penelope knew it was going to have people in at all times – after all her and Derek had to live like their parents and visits would be conducted to prove a happy life was happening – but she knew that the open spaces would make this place feel lonely from time to time.

Walking over to him, she took his hand and dragged him to his room. "Exploration point number one," She spoke as she stood back and pushed him at the door. "The room that is solely yours to do with what you want."

"Believe me, I will be doing _exactly_ what I want in here," Derek joked as they entered the room entirely and he listened to her laugh a little in exasperation as she followed him in.

"Exactly what I thought," Penelope mused quickly, her hands crossing over her chest, her head nodding with thought.

"What's that?" Derek asked her as he spun around so he could face her.

"There's enough room in the corner for you to hook up a sex swing and be done with," She pointed and watched him laugh, and yet she stood with the same smirk on her lips. "I've read all about you, Big Boy."

"Don't believe everything you've read, Princess," Derek told her with a quick wink. "I like women, but I am no kinky fuckery kind of guy. Adventurous yes, but I'm not sick and twisted like the media like to make it seem."

Penelope nodded, realising that she was judging Derek when she hardly knew him. Observing his movements as he circled the room, she could see that he was plastering on a happy face to make this moment easy because this place wasn't for either of them, but to get what they wanted they needed to endure this and make this place a home.

"You don't like it here do you?" Penelope asked as she watched him walk around the room for the second time, calculating and moving furniture as he went.

Derek turned and starred at her, "No I don't," He started to say, "This is not my home. My home is downtown where I chose it to be," He told her and then shrugged, "But you gotta do whatever to get your hands on that money."

"It's your chance to make it your home now," Penelope tried to be optimistic.

Shaking his head in almost disgust, he looked at her. "Let's go see you room," Derek quickly changed the topic and stomped off out of his bedroom and headed down towards Penelope's room.

Pulling him to halt just before they made it to the door, she spun him around to make him look at her. "I really am sorry you got stuck with me, Derek," Penelope told him honestly, not removing her gaze from his. "I'm sorry that out of all the girls possible, you got forced into marrying me."

"Why are you always down on her yourself?" Derek bit back, his tone coarse. He hated the way she seemed to constantly hate on herself.

She shrugged and then dropped her gaze away from him.

Derek quickly placed his hand under her chin and forced her to look up at him. "You don't think I feel for you being stuck with me? I'm not a nice guy, Penelope. I might act it in front of everyone, but really I hurt people. I don't want to hurt you."

"I'm a big girl," Penelope said and looked to him. "I guess we'll just have to see what kind of man marriage makes you," She teased him, "I can be quite persuasive when I want to be."

Seeing how she was making this fun, Derek decided to make her realise that they could get along. "We still have the master room to check out too," He commented, reminding her swiftly that there was a third room to this apartment. The room that was supposed to be _their_ bedroom when they got married in a few months. "Guess we should make that into a Derek and Penelope clash," He watched her nod wary at the thought. "For now, get that fine ass in there, Baby Girl."

Walking in, Derek following her immediately, she frowned. "This isn't right," Penelope commented as she ran her hand down the curtain load of material hanging down the grand window.

"Why isn't it?" Derek asked as he stepped into the bedroom, "This is a perfect size. Has a perfect view."

"It's too boring," Penelope stopped and looked at him, a cute smile radiating at him. "The size is more than big enough, Derek, but this isn't me. I need this to be like me if I'm going to be living here."

Deciding quickly that this was his chance to prove more to himself than anyone that he could be nice, Derek stepped in and grabbed her hand. "How about I promise you something," Derek offered her.

"What?" Penelope asked him sceptically.

"I paint this room and tonight we have a small moving in party. Just you, me, a film and a pizza," Derek offered her with a smile. He watched her bit her lip and felt something stir in him at the mere sight of that.

Twisting her lips together with thought, Penelope looked at him and smiled, "You've got yourself a deal." She could see their moving in party as something positive. It would be a chance to become friends with the man.

"Give me the colour you want this to be and I'll show you one of my many skills by getting this room painted by tonight," Derek told with a one thousand watt grin. "With not a lot of help," He joked and watched her giggle at him.

"Purple," Penelope told him in response. "Nice purple though, not horrible purple."

"Like this?" He asked as he pulled her purple scarf off and she nodded. "I'll keep this in that case and you go out and be a girl or something," Derek pushed her from her room and then looked at the potential in the room after he had shut the door.

He wasn't always the horrible type of guy, but maybe Penelope would make him the one thing he always wanted to be - Mr. Nice Guy.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Eligible Bachelor -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Hours later, after receiving a text from Derek, Penelope stepped back into the apartment and hurried straight for her bedroom. She could smell the fresh paint fumes and knew that she wouldn't be able to sleep in the room without feeling sick.

Pushing the door open with apprehension she was met with walls the colour of her old apartment and she melted into a smile. This room was feeling more like home. Once she got her things from her own apartment and really gave it her Penelope seal of approval she would happy to give this ago.

Deciding to award him, she decided to start their moving in party early. Maybe this was the one thing that would help prove if they were compatible, if they would tear each other apart or live together quite harmoniously. She was excited to see what films he enjoyed, hell, she was even excited to see what pizza topping he had.

She was just excited to learn about him because she wasn't blind; she couldn't deny that she fancied Derek Morgan – who wouldn't?

Walking to his bedroom door with a small smile, Penelope knocked, "Hey Derek!" She called through the thick painted oak. Not hearing a response, Penelope continued, "Want to order that pizza in now? I'm starving."

"Miss Penelope," Jeffrey, their house keeper, called out promptly, "Mr. Morgan headed out already. He got called away to a party of some sort."

"He did?" Penelope asked, forgetting that she was never going to be alone in the apartment. "How long ago?"

"About an hour ago, Miss," He told her with a smile. "Would you like me to prepare you anything to eat?"

"No thank you, I'll order in," Penelope responded coolly as her thoughts unravelled. An hour ago? So after he sent her the message? Pulling on a front, Penelope smiled bravely, wondering why he hadn't sent her a text to say he had better plans.

Walking passed Jeffrey, Penelope went into the kitchen to get a drink and immediately she was met with a whole fridge entirely stocked with everything from fresh fruit and vegetables to every kind of meat and cheeses and every expensive brand of wine and other drinks.

Rolling her eyes, Penelope knew this type of infringed prison-like lifestyle was not going to be easy on her. She grabbed a bottle of wine and a glass as she went and sat down at the middle island of counters in the enormous kitchen.

Penelope had never felt so lost in thought as she was that night. She barely kept up with time as she made her way through the bottle of wine and order in food. She was trying to calculate if this was how life was always going to be.

She didn't know if she was going to be able to keep up with Derek's empty promises for long.

Hearing the door, Penelope immediately sat up and pushed the now cold pizza away as she watched as her _fiancé_ stumbled through the door with three extremely slim and slender women.

"What's this then?" Penelope asked, not knowing if to be angry or amused at this moment as Derek stared at her like he was a little boy just be caught up late by his parents.

"Moving in party!" Derek drunken yelled and held his hands up. "C'mon girls, let's go and get _acquainted_," Derek slurred and then pushed them in the right direction, kissing her cheek as he went. "I think it's home now, Baby Girl. Want to join us?"

Penelope smiled and shook her head.

"If you change your mind," He trailed off and took the ladies to his room.

Welcome to the real world, Penelope Garcia.


	4. Apologising Properly

**Disclaimer: I do not own a thing!**

**A/N: **_ Sorry it's taken me a few days to update! Thank you for all of the kind reviews and for sticking with this =) Enjoy! _

**The Eligible Bachelor **_– Part 4_

* * *

The next morning Penelope felt miserable. It wasn't how she liked waking up. She liked bringing in a new day as if it were a new slate and forgetting about yesterday's troubles. However, there was just something about Derek Morgan that got under her skin. Exactly like he had when they were little and still running around playgrounds and messing around in sandboxes.

He'd flash a smile, lure her into a sense of security, but if she fell over then that was it, he was playing elsewhere. If a better offer came up he would snatch it up and Penelope had learnt a long time ago she was never someone's better offer.

It didn't take her long to realise that the two girls from last night were always a better option. Anyone with eyes would see that two attractive skinny girls were a better option than Penelope.

She didn't want to be jealous. This was going to be a pseudo-marriage. It wasn't real; it was just a route to parental happiness and wealth. She knew full well he wouldn't change, he would be a player and she had gone into this life with that open mindedness. However, the second day in and she didn't need to be told that she was falling for Derek - Especially waking up in her newly painted room.

It seemed that Derek Morgan was going to be a source of constant eye candy and irritation.

Getting up, she pulled her dressing gown on and protectively hugged it around her body. She didn't care about appearances, she just wanted coffee and maybe something that would make her feel guilty afterwards for breakfast.

Walking in, she inwardly groaned as she saw Derek sitting reading a paper. He was looking pristine as ever, no lasting signs of last night's escapade marring his features at all. God, there was another reason to hate him.

"You're up earlier," Penelope grumbled as she entered the kitchen and ignored Jeffrey and made herself a cup of coffee.

"I don't like sleeping in," Derek remarked warmly and looked up at her, tearing his attention from the sports pages.

"Even when you have a double work out that night?" Penelope quipped and saw how Derek didn't like where this conversation was going. "I'm going to go back to my room," Penelope said not wanting to indulge in small talk with someone that clearly had her best interests nowhere near his priorities.

"Penelope," Derek said getting up and grabbing him, "Is everything okay?"

"Mm hmm," She said with a curt head nod. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"You just seem a little off," Derek tried to work out what was wrong with her from just one look.

"Yeah, well failed plans hit me hard," Penelope shrugged, "I shouldn't expect anything less really should I? I know what you're all about, Derek. I shouldn't expect to change you just because we're both... _forced_ into this predicament."

"Look I'm sorry," He started with a genuine tone of apology.

"Why are you apologising?" Penelope asked him heatedly. "We both know we don't like one another and this isn't ideal, but we have to do what we have to do to get money." She hated that she felt like she was just a money laundering bitch when really she was just striving for acceptance she wasn't getting. "So live your life, Derek, but don't make plans with me and then ditch them."

Derek watched her leave entirely and he felt awful.

Running a hand around his neck to rub the back of it, Derek concluded that it was up to him to make this better and make Penelope see how valued she was. Especially seeing as she looked like she was the one drawing the short straw right now.

He turned and left when she closed her bedroom door, his mind racking up a plan that would have to work.

Penelope pushed against her bedroom door and hated herself for being hurt by something so ridiculous. She was disappointed at herself for getting so worked up over it so easily. God, Penelope hated being a woman. She was usually good at covering her emotions, but being here in this unfamiliar place with a man she was thrust into life with, Penelope felt beyond weak. She had no control in this and for that she did just dissolve into tears.

If she had it her way, she would living back in Paris in a place she could get lost in the native tongue and explore to her heart's content, but that wasn't what life had planned for her. That wasn't what was going to make mommy and daddy happy in the long run. So she knew she had to make this her home.

She had an empty room and billions of boxes and hours to get lost in. For now her days were about her, and when she was settled she would venture out and bring her friends here. All so they could see her new skyline, penthouse apartment and her deliciously gorgeous fiancé.

If only this was real Penelope sighed and headed to the boxes to start making this a home.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Eligible Bachelor -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

It had been hours since Penelope had ventured out of her bedroom and Derek was just feeling worse and worse. He had been working himself into the ground to get stuff in and get everything ready to make it up to Penelope and applying the finishing touches, he was more than satisfied.

Looking around the living room, Derek was impressed with himself. He had been invited to three parties and all three he had declined. He had gotten in what looked to be close to a hundred DVDs just so that he could give her an opportunity to pick a film. He also had ten pizzas on their way ready for her to pick her favour and he had made sure Jeffrey stocked up on as many flavoured ice cream as possible. This didn't include the alcohol and snacks he had added to the cupboards

He had to make it up to her and he would. He might be a cruel man to most, but to Penelope he felt like he didn't want to be. He hated the idea of hurting her in any way, shape or form. So he sucked in his pride and put Penelope first. Going to her room from the corridor that led away from the main room, Derek took his steps slow and listened out. Not hearing much, he worried that maybe she was asleep, but he still knocked. "Hey Baby Girl," Derek said as he knocked and opened the room a little. "You awake?"

"Yeah," Penelope grumbled from the far side of the room.

Going in, Derek found Penelope going through her boxes, most of her stuff now out and finding its place in this room and he had to admit, it was like a slice of Penelope was finally settling in. "Looking good in here."

"Thanks," Penelope spoke as she went into yet another box and pulled out more of her stuff. "Can I help you with anything, Derek?"

"I was hoping you'd come and accept my apology," He started to tell her and slumped onto her bed, "And to tell you, you got the comfier bed."

Penelope couldn't resist a laugh, "Least there is a good part to this then."

Standing up, Derek approached Penelope, "Look, I'm sorry, Penelope. I got called out and wasn't going to be long. That was the plan anyway."

"And let me guess, you just lost track of time?" Penelope asked him and stood up straight, her arms crossing across her chest. "Look, Derek, you don't have to apologise to me. I get it. You had a life before me, there'll be a life after this," She shrugged, "I get it. I really do."

"But I want you to be a part of my life," Derek mentioned quickly and Penelope stilled in her actions. "We're in this together and so we need to be more of a team. Can you let me attempt to say sorry?"

Penelope twitched her lips, biting down a little, wondering if letting him wait for an answer would be desirable.

"Mr. Derek," Jeffrey said as he approach up the corridor cutting into Derek's attempt, "Your pizzas are here."

"Thank you, Jeffrey; I'll be just down," Derek commented with a smile, "Can you pay it for now please?"

"Of course, Sir," Jeffrey said before retreating.

"Now, that apology?" Derek said turning back to Penelope, even adding in a dose of puppy dog eyes, "Please?"

"Fine," Penelope relented and allowed him to take her hand and draw her out to the large TV room. When she got in there, the blinds were down, the curtains shutting out the remaining light. Upon the coffee table were millions of DVDs – new and old – and in amongst it were sweets upon sweets.

"You did this?" Penelope asked as she looked at everything he had done. Every tiny detail was taken care of and Penelope was left spellbound. "Why?"

"Because I let you down," Derek replied solemnly, "I need to make it up to her."

"Take a seat and I'll go grab the pizzas," Derek said and was suddenly gone from the room, leaving Penelope to sit and wonder.

Listening she sat down and fished through the DVDs, finding a fair few that she loved and some she hated. She was quite astonished at the amount of thought that went into this.

Walking in with the pizzas he saw Penelope look up at him surprised, "I thought I would be prepared so ordered as many flavours as I could that I thought you might like," He told her and was almost embarrassed and feeling shy. "Now what film do you want to watch first?"

"Top gun," Penelope told him with a sweet smile and saw Derek just staring at her. "What? If you don't like that film we'll watch something else. I have no problem with that, Derek."

"Slow your roll," Derek calmed her down and smiled. "I love Top Gun."

Penelope melted into a bright smile, "It's one of my favourite movies."

"Mine too," Derek replied to her with ease. "Seems the first films decided then, now what about pizza?"

"Have you got one with everything on it?" Penelope asked and watched him, "And when I say everything I mean _every_thing."

"I have, but I didn't expect you to go for that one," Derek commented, trying not to let his hopes get too high.

"Why not?" Penelope asked him.

"Because only I'm the one that loves one with everything on it," Derek replied honestly. He was becoming pleasantly surprised that he and Penelope were more alike than he had even thought.

"Are you okay sharing, Hot Stuff?" Penelope asked, impressed with how compatible they seemed to be becoming even if she knew it would just be the thing that made them closer as friends.

Pulling her back, he grabbed the pizza and settled down, "For you, Baby Girl? I'll share anything." He said with a teasing tone. "Now take that and I'll put the DVD in," He told her and left her for the few minutes to kick start their little moving in movie party whilst she opened the pizza box to reveal a delicious pizza.

Just how it was meant to be the day before.

She should have been hungry, but sitting here with Derek; Penelope felt other carnal needs erupt in her rather than the need to fulfil necessary survival skills. Watching him, Penelope felt her heart race quicker.

So this was what it felt like to fall in love with a man that would never want you.

She was surprised that it actually hurt.


	5. Realisations Dawn

**Disclaimer: I do not own a thing!**

**A/N: **_ Thanks you guys! I hope you continue to enjoy where this is going to go... There are big plans for this... But watch out for you're hating on ;) I love changing opinions ;)_

**The Eligible Bachelor **_– Part 5_

* * *

"The dress we've ordered for you is to die for, Penny," Elena gushed as she looked over the image of it and she smiled. Since declaring Derek and her daughter an engaged couple, Elena finally saw fit that her daughter would make her proud yet by doing right by the family.

Penelope was looking over another snap shot of the dress and she had to admit that no diet in the world would make this dress look anywhere near attractive on her come the wedding day. She was destined to be a frumpy unhappy bride from all angles.

"There he is!" Fran stood up excited. "Derek, Baby," Fran said as he entered the back yard of the Garcia's lavish mansion. "It's so good you finally turned up."

"Well I was invited," Derek joked and took a seat next to Penelope. "You okay? You left without a word this morning, Baby Girl," He pressed with ease. "Worries me when you go quiet on me."

Penelope smiled, in the near month they had been together they were closer than ever – as friends – and they were both settling into their new house. "Yeah, I'm fine, Handsome. I just knew today was going to be crap."

"What's happened?" Derek asked, noting her nonchalant tone.

"It's not our wedding," Penelope started vaguely, "It's your mothers and my mother's wedding."

Releasing a quiet chuckle, Derek shrugged a little. "Well no hard graft for us," Derek said teasingly as he fell back in his seat and waited to see if he was really needed in this meeting. His mother seemed to have it covered from her side.

"I guess," Penelope scoffed and reached for her glass of wine so she could take a large gulp of it.

"Right we have the caterers and waiting staff ready for the engagement party and I'm pretty sure Penelope's dress for the occasion is going to be dropped off by the end of the week," Elena said flicking through the organising book her and Fran had set up together. "You've sorted Derek's suit right?"

"Yes, he's got to go and get it tailored but it's almost finished," Fran spoke and looked to Derek, "I don't mind if you want to change the suit, Derek, but I picked one of your favourite styles."

"I'm sure you chose wisely, mother," Derek replied with a confident smile.

"I just want you happy," Fran beamed at her son lovingly.

Penelope felt a jolt of jealous energy pass through her. Fran might be planning this, but she had her son's best interests at heart and wanted him to be happy with the big day. Unlike Elena, who had her own interests in mind, Penelope suddenly felt the need to run away, but she knew the consequence of that – her mother's forgiveness and acceptance would never happen.

Not that her mother paid much attention to give her that anyway.

Sucking in a deep breath, Penelope tried to gain her mother's attention, "Mom, have you remembered that toda-"

"Not now," Elena put her hand up to shut her daughter up and looked to Fran. "Penelope's set up with a personal trainer for the run up to the wedding," Elena commented and read through a page, "From his observation he wants her to lose a good couple of stone so that the wedding dress we have chosen will literally just skim all of her body contours."

"I think Penelope's fine as she is," Derek dropped into the conversation, putting his arm along the back of the seat he and Penelope were on. "I don't want her thinner."

Rolling her eyes to rid the tears, Penelope remained quiet. Years of growing up with her mother told her that was the best thing if you wanted to remain intact. After all, her mother only noticed her when she was doing something wrong, never when she was doing amazing things with her life.

"I don't want that dress," Penelope suddenly spoke up after Derek. "I hate that dress; mom and I don't think it's fair that I have to have it."

"Penelope, you will do as you're told," Elena broke in to Penelope's questioning. "The day will be perfect. We all know that you will just screw this up and we have to make sure everything is perfect for the magazine and newspaper shots. It needs to be immaculate."

"But surely it's our wedding day so Derek and I should have the final say," Penelope tried, but she could see that she was just testing her mother's patience now. "I want-" Penelope to say but her mother cut her completely off with a deadly tone.

"Stop acting like such a petulant child with the 'I wants'! We have it under control, so leave it to Fran and I to sort," Elena suddenly let out in a burst of frustration with her daughters disinterest in the ready made plans.

As her father stepped in to negotiate the situation, Penelope got up and left. She disappeared into the house completely before she allowed herself to dissolve into tears.

No one really cared about her feelings in the matter and it didn't get any easier.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Eligible Bachelor -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope sat in the grand kitchen, all of the appliances allowing little light to be around. The only other light she had on was the one over the stove opposite the large middle island of clear counter top. Sat in front of her was a cupcake – a red velvet cupcake, with its creamy white frosting and a candle popped on top.

She sighed, forbidding the tears.

She looked at the candle as it began to melt away and she leaned in, "Happy Birthday, Penelope," She whispered tearfully to herself and blew out the flame. Yet again, she was forgotten about and only she had given herself a present – one lousy cupcake and that was all she got.

At least she'd welcomed in the next year of a miserable lifestyle with her favourite cupcake.

She took a piece of the icing off and then left the rest of the cupcake uneaten and headed off to bed. Not even bothering to throw it away, her mood was too low for her to even care. She walked passed the hallway that lead towards Derek's room and didn't even notice Derek standing flush against the wall, watching her.

Derek sighed heavily as her door shut minutes later. He had heard her say happy birthday to herself and he realised that Penelope hadn't done anything fun today. She had argued, and she had allowed her mother to browbeat her and never once did he hear a happy birthday and see the passing of a gift or a cake. He hated he hadn't known.

His heart went out to Penelope in that moment and he hated that he didn't even know her birthday because he would have made a show of it.

_That was it!_

He might have missed it, but there was nothing wrong with belated celebrations.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Eligible Bachelor -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Derek hadn't slept a wink that entire night. He had gone to bed, but missing Penelope's birthday was just bugging him. When it was his or one of his sisters' birthdays, his parents made a massive deal of it. Lavishing them with love and presents and giving them the best day possible that was all about them.

Elena had made Penelope's birthday all about Elena.

Derek made this a birthday bonanza, he even invested in presents. His idea of giving to Penelope was more physical, whereas Penelope's was just to look after him in every way possible. Hearing her door open, he stood under the ceiling covered in bright coloured balloons and waited on her.

It was nearly past midday, but Penelope was in no hurry to go anywhere and when she made it out to the grand room, she stilled in shock horror. "Why have you done this?" Penelope asked astounded. She was half asleep and just couldn't digest this.

"Because, Baby, my mom and dad are always making our birthdays something spectacular," Derek exclaimed and turned to face Penelope. "I wanted yours to be, Baby Girl!"

"You're so lucky," Penelope mumbled sadly.

"With?" He asked her perplexed. He thought he was lucky to have someone that was showing him he could be a better version of himself.

"You have a mom and dad who look out for you," Penelope shrugged a little with that comment. "I have a mom and dad who are more concerned with appearances and the four handsome sons that can carry on the Garcia name and do it perfectly."

"Penelope," Derek soothed her immediately.

"I'm just," She dropped her eyes down, "_There_."

"Hey now," He said and moved his hand to her chin so he could gently bring her head up to meet his eyes, "You're not just there, Penelope. You are the most loving, giving woman I know and I wish they would see you how I do. They would be shocked at what daughter they had if they looked a little harder."

"Really, Derek, I've always been the inconvenient child to them so why change that? It's all I know," She asked him exasperated. "Might as well not rock the boat."

"Rock the boat? Sweetness, I heard that's what you loved doing most of your life," Derek said and made her laugh. "Why change now?"

"Because there's more at stake now," Penelope managed.

"No there isn't," Derek soothed to her in a sweet tone. "Nothing can be more at stake than your life."

"But there is," Penelope murmured at him, feeling her last nerves disappearing.

"I'm sure there's not. You do this you'll get their attention and money," He tried to show her he was joking, but it seemed that comment was the straw that broke the camel's back.

"Derek, I never wanted to be rich!" Penelope shouted and threw her hands up as she stood to her feet, "I'm only marrying you so that you can get your inheritance and _I_ can actually feel like my parents are proud of me and that for one moment in my life, they love me because if you hadn't noticed they have no interest in my best intentions."

Now she crumpled in front of a man that had shown her how little he wanted this life. A man that, even though he was a pompous twit that loved female company more than breathing itself, she had fallen in love with him for the sweet little moments they had shared.

"I'm just not worth it I guess," She shrugged and then walked away, leaving him standing there as she headed to her bedroom. She pushed the door closed and slid down it, bringing her knees up to her chest, she just cried into them.

This wasn't the lifestyle she ever wanted for herself – for anyone.

"Pen," Derek called through the door no more than twenty seconds later.

"Go away," Penelope shouted back, unmoved by his presence on the other side of the door.

Derek slid down the door ignoring her want for him to leave, turning his head so his cheek was almost flush against the white panelling, "What aren't you worth it?" He persisted when he got no response, "C'mon, talk to me, Baby Girl."

"Love," Penelope commented back and put her head to the door, "Stupid right?" She laughed a bit at the bitter twist of irony, "I'm marrying you to get love and I'm still not getting it, so I'm marrying you to keep you happy with your dollars and my parents happy with keeping an unspoiled name."

"How's that fair though?" Derek questioned her motives.

"How's it fair for me to ruin your inheritance for you too?" Penelope asked him back and sniffed. "This is the only thing that's going to make them proud of me, so I have to do it. Fairness doesn't come into it when you have the parents I do."

Then the silence slipped in between them.

"Open the door," Derek commanded softly to her, "_Please_." And to his surprise she did.

He opened the door and found her sitting on her oversized bed, wiping her face clear of tears. He then did, for the first time since they became_ engaged_, the one thing that shocked Penelope; he gave her the most loving hug possible and just held her as she broke down completely.

He held her whilst she cried and didn't pull back on the hold he had given.

Finally pulling away, Penelope took in a shuddering breath she felt him begin to move away, but she just took his hand so she could stop him, "Thank you, Derek."

"Anything to see that smile, Princess. You need me I'll be in the kitchen putting you a massive birthday lunch together with a perfect red velvet cupcake for afters," Derek said and pressed a kiss to her forehead before leaving her.

Penelope realised a sigh and knew she had to have a sit down with her heart.

Derek Morgan was never going to love her romantically, but her heart was hell bent on him loving him that way.

The sooner she saw that, the sooner she saved herself from whatever heartbreak lay in wait.


	6. Learning To Love

**Disclaimer: I do not own a thing!**

**A/N: **_ Thanks you guys! I'm so pleased you are enjoying this still! We're going to be getting somewhere soon with what you wanna see ;) _

**The Eligible Bachelor **_– Part 6_

* * *

"Is Penelope out?" Derek asked as he walked into the kitchen, stretching as he went. He had seen her door was shut when he came out of his room, but it was way too late for her to still be in bed.

"She's not up, Derek," Jeffrey responded politely. "What would like for breakfast?"

"Erm," Derek said as he ran a hand over the back of his neck, "Toast will be fine, thanks. Do some for Penelope as well, please? I'm just going to go get her up."

Walking towards her room, Derek had a gut feeling something wasn't quite right here. Reaching the door, he bang lightly on it and called her name, but he got no response. Looking to his watch to see if he wasn't the one that had misread the time, he saw it was coming up eleven in the morning – She should be up.

Going into her bedroom, the curtains were still drawn and when he cast a gaze to the bed he saw she was still wrapped up under the duvet. It was just a small lump in the middle of the bed that barely moved.

"Baby Girl?" He called out as he saw her curled up in the bed with her back to the door. He didn't see her even so much as move and so he approached her and saw immediately why she hadn't – she was ill. "Penelope," He spoke as he sat down and put his hand to her head and watched her groan as she woke up, her skin burning his palm. "Penelope, I need you to wake up."

Opening her eye a little, "I don't want to," She pouted. "I really don't feel good."

"I can tell," He sympathised with her immediately, "Anything I can get you? Water, food, anything?" He watched her shake her head and then groan and he knew she had a headache right away, "You just sleep. I'll come back and check on you in a little bit once I've found some tablets."

He walked out prepared to go and get anything he needed to make her better. He decided to try and get her to eat before he left her to sleep, knowing that feeding the flu was a better remedy. Going back in with some light breakfast he woke her up and sat on the edge of the bed.

"I'm supposed to have a work out this morning and I need to go to my parents," Penelope murmured into the pillow, unwilling to move her head much more than she had to. "I've got to let my mother boss my maid of honour into a hideous dress and listen to how fun my bachelorette party's going to be."

"Sorry, Baby, but you aren't going anywhere," Derek announced, her off colour pallor worried him the most, but the sound of her broken, coarse voice stopped him from helping her get up and get ready. "I think they'll understand for one day."

"Angry Mamma Garcia is born," Penelope coughed, exerting her voice too much.

"Baby, I need you to eat, but I'm going to ring your mother for you now," Derek said and ran his hand over her face, pushing her fringe out of her face. He felt her temperature burning away and knew he had to call a doctor too.

Leaving her alone for a moment he called her mother and got an earful for destroying plans and felt disappointed that someone like Penelope got a mother as cold as she did. By the time he made it back, Penelope was sleep and the food was forgotten and so he decided to take the tray and let her sleep.

There was always later.

And it was later that night when Derek couldn't settle that he had to check on Penelope that he found her stirring and he smiled as he went over to her. "Hey," He said as he sat with her all over again, leaning over her ill form. "Thought you might like a little evening company."

"I don't want you to get this," Penelope tried to push with away with a whimpered tone. "It's horrible."

"I don't care," Derek responded remaining unmoved.

Penelope broke into a coughing fit that had her almost balled over. Settling, she let her chest loosen before she spoke, "Don't you have a party or friends who would rather show you a good time, Handsome?"

"I have a better importance here," He replied and saw her unable to comprehend that and he wondered how she managed to grow up so amazingly when she appeared to not have any form of comfort and nurturing. He sighed, "If you want me to I can go," Derek said and began to get up, quickly deciding that sleep was probably better for her anyway.

"Can you stay?" Penelope asked, weakly grabbing him and her eyes watered, "No one ever looked after me when I'm ill." She began to cry freely then, "I'm not used to it."

"You don't need that family as long as you got me," Derek vowed to her honestly. "So get used to being looked after, Penelope."

"But you won't be here forever," Penelope began to fully cry. She was feeling weak all round and right now, she was falling even more in love with the guy that would never be hers – not in the true love sense.

Derek closed his eyes as she began to sob against his chest and all he could do was hold onto her. How would he ever prove that he wanted to be here forever? How would he make her see that this was more real than ever before?

"Baby Girl," He breathed as he pressed a kiss to the top of her chest, "I will be here for longer than you think."

She shook her head and wheezed through her cries, "You're only here until you get your money and then you'll want out and who am I to stop you?" She asked looking up to him. "This isn't a forever thing and I can't ever expect you to just stick around because I'm the sorry case out of us two."

"You need to stop worrying about this and just concentrate on getting better, P," He soothed her and pushed her hair from her face as she lay looking up to him. "Whatever happens, I am always going to be here for you." He felt her calm, exhaustion taking over even heavier than ever. "You're my best friend now," He told her and saw her smile and try to stay awake. "Now go to sleep. I'll be here all night."

"Promise?" Penelope asked him and hoped

Derek gave her a small grin, "Promise. Now sleep, Beautiful."

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Eligible Bachelor -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Slamming the phone down, Penelope felt her migraine coming back on. Feeling a hand place to her back she looked up at Derek, "What's a matter? You should be in bed." It seemed that in the three days since she got ill the tables had turned dramatically and now Derek was where she was.

"I heard arguing and decided to come out and see the living," Derek mumbled, his tone breaking with soreness. "What's going on now?"

"My mother decided to push the wedding back," Penelope spoke lowly, her tone worrying. "She saw some things that needed changing."

"Like what?" He asked as he sat down opposite her.

She looked at him and even though he looked awful, she couldn't mistake how handsome he looked. Remembering how ill she felt, she remembered how ill he was probably feeling so she lied. "Just dresses and caterers and stuff like that." She let her brow furrow at what her mother had demanded of her now and she had to admit her heart broke furthermore at the demands. It was far worse than any caterers and dress problems.

"Are you okay?" He asked and he watched her place on a brave face and nod. "You're not."

"All this effort for a lie," She shrugged and shook her head sadly. "I guess I'm still not feeling a hundred percent and having to deal with this is just too much right now."

"C'mon," He said and put his hand out to her. "We can go and watch some television for now. The rest of the world can wait." Trusting him, Derek watched her take his hand and he took her to the grand living room and fell down on the couch, making her follow him.

"You know what," Penelope said and sat up, "Let's get you back to bed." She pulled him up and took him to his bedroom and did to him what he had for her – he tucked her in and made sure he was okay before she even anticipated leaving him. "I told you, you would catch this," Penelope scolded lovingly as she sat with Derek. Having gotten him back into bed, she had found his temperature to be racing and matching hers from days ago and right now he needed to sleep.

Looking down at him as he began a new round of sleep that had suddenly claimed him, Penelope smiled, Derek was the type of man she had spent years dreaming of. Having grown up with him she had developed a crush, but then her knowledge of him only came through paper based sources and word of mouth. Even years on she still had one of those ridiculous crushes. Being forced into marrying that crush and forced into this life only exacerbated feelings and made emotions scarily real.

She just hated that it was a secret that she would take to the grave. After all, why would a man like Derek love her when he was surrounded by a multitude of attractive women whenever he went out?

Derek coughed and opened his eye a little, even though he was half asleep, "I think I realised something."

Reaching over to the bowl by her side of the bed, Penelope grabbed the flannel and turned back, "What's that?" Penelope asked, dabbing a cool, damp cloth to his forehead in the hope it would cool his fever and ease his headache. She had known lazing around in front of the TV would do him no good so for now this was it – bed, sleep, rest.

"I think I could easily fall in love with you, Baby Girl," Derek murmured hoarsely and he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Penelope couldn't stop the gallop her heart did at that thought.

This was just the flu talking, Penelope. He doesn't love you for real.


	7. What Money Can't Buy

**Disclaimer: I do not own a thing!**

**A/N: **_ Thanks you as always... We are just going onto a little journey now... There will be lots of truths, hurts, loves, might be some deaths ;) You'll just have to wait and see what becomes of both Derek and Penelope..._

**The Eligible Bachelor **_– Part 7_

* * *

Being out with Derek on a night out had never been more uncomfortable. Right now it was just him and Penelope's best friend, JJ. That wasn't too bad, but the idea of being surrounded by Derek's friends, who Penelope knew were hot and attractive and dead rich worried her.

Derek used to be a womaniser, now he never touched anyone, but Penelope was sure his friends were all like the old him and would encourage him.

"So how do you feel about me moving in whilst you're away?" JJ asked across the table, leaning in.

Giving a short laugh Derek looked to Penelope and winked, "If you can keep my girl in check, JJ, then I'll pay you." He watched Penelope giggle at that comment, "She's not that much of a handful."

"She is when she's drunk," JJ teased and hit Penelope in the shoulder with her own.

"I'm not that bad!" Penelope defended, not thinking her prior drunken misdemeanours were quite that bad.

"Let's see by the end of the night," JJ continued to tease her best friend knowing how infamous her actions could be if she got too drunk.

"C'mon, Baby, let's go get some more drinks," Derek stood up eagerly. "Every single one is your choice."

"Flashing the cash eh?" Penelope teased and Derek just winced before getting up and leading the way.

Penelope followed Derek as he went to bar and the moment he was stationary and propped beside the bar, women swarmed. How was she supposed to compete with women that were built from the ground with perfection?

She sighed as she listened to Derek try to say no to the overwhelming attitudes of women on the prowl and soon he got lost in their attention on him and lapped it up.

"Yo, D-Man!" A tough, baritone voice came from behind Derek and Penelope had to look. This was it the moment of truth – Penelope's world officially met Derek's. "Ladies, he's here all night, you can get a piece of him later."

"Tyler, my man!" Derek exclaimed as he slapped is hand into Tyler's and they pulled each other close to bump chests. The women instantly falling back away. "I wasn't wondering if you were ever gonna turn up," Derek continued and then looked to Penelope. "Ty, I want you to meet Penelope Garcia. Pen, this is my best friend Tyler."

"Hi," Penelope said meekly and put her hand out for Tyler to shake, but he ignored it and eyed her up and down.

"Ah, so this is the woman that you are getting forced to marry?" Tyler spoke up after he had done his analysis and Derek's expression hardened. "Not what I thought."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Derek asked, his tone almost a low aggressive growl.

"Glasses and fat," The woman sneered, "Not your type at all. It looks like a sham from outward appearances, Derek."

_Ouch that hurt!_ Penelope would have stumbled had it not been for the bar behind her. She was used to being put down but having it laid out so categorically just didn't leave her feeling like she wanted to spend her evening with this man.

"Ty, you'll have respect for Penelope," Derek told his friend who just laughed. "Tyler," He went to speak more but Penelope put her hand to Derek's chest to quieten him.

"Doesn't matter, Derek," Penelope cut him off. "It seems money doesn't buy manners anymore." She gave a small brave smile, "Next time you want to criticise someone, I'd make sure you were something perfect first. Seems they can't surgically remove being an asshole."

She then stalked off with the drinks, hearing Derek have his word, but she needed to get out of there as soon as before she cracked. It was yet again proven that this marriage was an absolute waste of time. She could marry Derek and be his wife by law, but the whole world and his wife knew full well that they were not going to last.

Sitting down, Penelope took one of the shots and downed it quickly, before going for another. Her friend knew something was wrong, but allowed Penelope to drink away as much as she wanted to.

"What's wrong?" JJ asked as Penelope was pulled to the bar. "What's happened?"

"Nothing but the truth," Penelope replied and tried to keep her tone upbeat, allowing alcohol to take over. "Why did I want to do this again, Jayje?"

"Because you want to do something right in regards to your parents," JJ stated quite clearly why.

Penelope looked to her friend, "Yeah and you know what I'm fucking getting from it all?" She watched JJ not press, "A whole load of fucking nothing, but falling for a guy that is never going to love me back. I'm not making my family love me or appreciate me. Fuck! This is not what I wanted in life."

"Drink," JJ said and handed Penelope another shot before she broke into a ramble.

Accepting the drink, she threw it back and then continued, "Look at him, Jayje. He's perfect. He's every girl's dream and I feel myself wanting him and I don't mean how I liked the other guys. This is real and I know I'm the one that's going to get hurt in the end. I know it." Penelope looked over just in time to see Derek coming back and she grabbed another – not caring that she was now drinking his share – and tried to get happy.

"Baby Girl, I am so sorry," Derek shouted over the music at her. "I didn't realise he was still such a jerk to ladies. Had I known I wouldn't have invited him."

"It's fine," Penelope batted off his concern. "I can handle myself."

"D-Man!" Tyler's voice interrupted from behind them.

"Seems more of your friends have arrived," Penelope pointed and jumped up, grabbing JJ's hand. "For now, I'm going dancing."

Derek watched Penelope go and felt awful. He hated how Tyler had treated her and he loathed how he described her. For one, she wasn't fat, she was curvaceous and he would never know the dreams Derek had of touching her all over. When it came to her glasses, well he loved them. Any of them she wore gave her a quirkiness, gave her a sense of sophisticated sexiness.

And even Derek couldn't deny that Penelope had the personality of all the girls he had previously dated.

Going back to his friends that had arrived, Derek tried to enjoy himself but watching Penelope with other men was driving him entirely insane. How was he supposed to be him when he couldn't take his eyes off of her? God, he was in over his head now.

Yet he gave Penelope time and appreciated that she needed to have fun and let loose for a little while, but It was later that night when Derek finally made his way back to Penelope that he took her hand and let her to the side and he could see she was hurt and hiding it.

Clearly she wasn't having as much fun as she made him believe.

He never got a chance to speak first, to make up for his friend's audacity, or to tell her that his other friends actually liked the look of her from just one glimpse.

"There'll be some changes when you get back from your little trip," Penelope told him and reached up and kissed his cheek. "Let's hope it's all worth it in the end, Derek. Really, your friend," Penelope said and looked over to the table full of Derek's male friends and shrugged, "He can be a cheap sleaze for all he wants, but no woman is going to ever want to make something serious with someone so superficial."

"I'm sorry about him," Derek grabbed her hand, but she took it back. The physicality was too much to bear for her.

"I wouldn't be," Penelope cut in and ran a hand into her hair, "I'm just going to leave. JJ will be at ours, so any girls you want to bring back, be discreet. She might know this is all just set up, but that doesn't mean we need to make it worse."

"Pen, just stick around a little while more," He said and pulled her to his body, "I want dance with you, hot mamma."

Pulling herself away, Penelope tried not to let herself get in over her head, "You're drunk." It was an obvious statement, but he was all over her now he was intoxicated and that made her feel worse, "I'll see you in the morning, Derek."

She then escaped the club, finding JJ and she knew one thing - Penelope needed a reality check and many of them.

This was a scam.

No emotional ties. No love involved. Just money.

A fucking ridiculous scam.


	8. Being Loved Properly

**Disclaimer: I do not own a thing!**

**A/N: **_ Thanks you guys! I am pleased you are liking where this is starting to go... We will get more fun soon... I PROMISE =)_

_Excuse mistakes... They are mine... But I am sleepy!_

**The Eligible Bachelor **_– Part 8_

* * *

"When do I get to meet this Derek again?" Penelope's maid of honour murmured as they sat in Starbucks. It was now Saturday, meaning that Derek was away with his father and that left Penelope to be moulded into her mother's ideal daughter.

"He's gone away with his father," Penelope told her friend JJ and smiled. "Some Morgan tradition," Penelope shrugged at the thought. "So Monday?"

"Before or after your newest consultations?" Jayje asked knowing what Penelope's mother had lined up in order to get Penelope looking like she wanted for one of the biggest weddings of the century.

"Hopefully after and then I can just amaze Derek with what's going to happen," Penelope joked lightly trying to make this easier. "He'll be profiting from my mother's master plan."

JJ didn't like how down on herself Penelope was getting, "Yeah, but I don't think that's going to end well. I mean laser eye surgery?" JJ asked and cringed, "Are you sure you want to do this just to make others happy?"

"No," Penelope groaned and looked at her coffee, "What's worse is that I have to do it again tomorrow for the other eye because my mother cannot do things in time. It's all rush, rush, rush."

"Is that even advisable?" JJ asked, scrunching her nose up at trying to find the answer.

Penelope shrugged unsure, "When you come from the wealth my mother does, you know manipulation," Penelope joked and tried to make light of this all, "That and you know how to add an extra number onto the price of things you want."

JJ couldn't resist the laughter, "That's gonna come round and bite her on the ass one day."

"No the socialite that is Elena Garcia will always get what she wants. If she doesn't then the world's got to pay," Penelope mocked her own mother's status to try and ease her worry. Taking her glasses her off to clean, Penelope pouted a little, "It's going to be weird not wearing these every second of my waking life."

"It'll be a good life change, you might feel more confident without them," JJ tried to count some possible positives that could come from this.

"I feel naked without them," Penelope countered and then put them back on to look at the time. "We better go or we'll be late." Penelope said and downed her coffee as JJ drained her latte from the cup and gathered her things. "JJ?"

"Yeah?" JJ asked as they walked to the exit, ready to head over the road to the clinic.

"Thank you for coming with me and for sticking with me all through this," Penelope appreciated her friend with a small smile.

"No worries," She said as they crossed ht road and she then felt her friend pause, JJ looked to Penelope, "You don't have to do this, you know?"

"Whatever my mother wants, Jayje," Penelope told her best friend, and although she wasn't happy she knew the drill.

_Mother knows best._

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Eligible Bachelor -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

Penelope was sitting in the dimly lit living room the following day, JJ still with her to make sure she was fine.

"Well I suppose it's one step in the right direction," Penelope's mom spoke as she came into the room. This was the first time she had entered the apartment since Penelope and Derek had moved in.

"Hello mother," Penelope tried not to make that a groan. "What are you doing here?"

"Thought I would come and see how you were doing," Elena spoke as she circled the apartment, inspecting it now it had Derek and her daughter living in it, "And to see if you had rectified your eyesight before I head to lunch with your father and brothers."

"Oh great, no invite for me?" Penelope asked, attempting to hard her hurt.

"You're not allowed bright lights, Penny, so maybe another day," Elena told her daughter, trying to make up an easy apology.

"I do what you ask me and I still feel like I'm being punished with being neglected and made to go through all this," Penelope argued back, slowly snapping under the pressure of her mother's mean streak.

"That's right, Penelope. Years of being a delinquent child deserve payback," Elena scolded her daughter, believing in tough love. "You do this and I won't ever have to worry you again. You'll be the prized daughter once more."

"I'm trying everything," Penelope argued, defending herself to her mother's callous attitude.

"Well keep trying harder," Elena told her daughter and then began to leave without so much as a goodbye. "Oh and one more thing Penelope," Elena called from the door, she watched Penelope turn to look at her before commenting, "Don't argue with the consultant come Monday. He knows what to do; we've had a chat. You just do as he says and allow him to get it done as soon as possible."

"Get what done?" JJ whispered looking at her friend as Elena disappeared.

"It doesn't matter," Penelope batted away and just dissolved into tears. "What the fuck happened to being loved for who you are? I thought a parent's love was supposed to be undying regardless of how ugly their kid was."

"You're not ugly," JJ fought back, her voice feeling angered at Penelope's pessimism.

"Sure," Penelope scoffed as her phone started to dance. Seeing Derek's number on the screen made her cry even worse, he was living the good life whilst she was continually worried about where she would be when they were passed the safe part point for divorce and she could tell now it wasn't going to be a happy place. "I can't speak to him."

"It's the fourth time," JJ tried to make her see sense, but Penelope didn't and so she grabbed the phone and answered herself. "Hi Derek, it's JJ."

"Hey, is everything okay?" Derek asked, worry lacing every tone in his voice. He hated being away from Penelope and the fact that JJ had answered did nothing for the worrier in him. He didn't know what Penelope had done to him, but he liked it. He liked feeling like he was warranted a heart, that he deserved one.

He never expected to find a girl worthy of making him feel, but he had.

"Yeah," JJ said as she got up and left Penelope whose sobs were getting more and more heart wrenching. "Pen's just not feeling great right now," JJ tried to convince him, but Derek obviously wasn't buying any of it.

"Is she crying?" Derek asked, taking himself away from his father for the moment. "What's going on, JJ?"

"It's nothing," JJ feigned and hated seeing Penelope like this. "Just a mishap."

"With what?" Derek asked, his voice going tense on him. "Please, JJ, let me talk to her."

"Fine," JJ said and headed over to Penelope. "Dry your tears, girl, because your man wants a word."

Penelope sniffed and put her hand out for the phone, "Hey Handsome," Penelope spoke down the phone, trying to find some composure.

"What's going on, Baby?" Derek asked her, treading carefully. "Why are you crying?"

Penelope huffed a little laugh, "My mother."

"I should have guessed," Derek scoffed knowingly.

"Yeah you should have," Penelope commented back, a little sarcasm in her tone. "She's just being the bridezilla for the bride," She tried to moan with it, but her eyes were already sore and crying over her mother had just made them worse. "At this rate I'm going to not be thin enough to fit into my dress and I can hear it now: _Penny, you did this on purpose just to spite the family._ She seems to think that everything I do is to get myself exonerated from the family."

"You are kidding right?" Derek exclaimed his tone getting heated as red mist seemingly feel into his vision.

Penelope wiped her eyes again, "Take it from me, if I don't do this right, and I mean entirely right and to my mother's specifications I'm out of the family for being a disobedient, awful child." Penelope hadn't even realised that the ache in her heart could be worse than it already was. What with her love for Derek soon on the point of implosion and now her mother already writing her out of the Garcia family, Penelope felt like she couldn't breathe properly. "I have to try even more."

"More than you even have?" Derek asked her, if he had her there she would have seen his expression. "Penelope, you are doing everything possible to make this go smoothly, and make this go perfectly. My parents love you whatever and they're proud to accept you into our family. They're happy for me because I've apparently been happier since I met you, Baby Girl."

Penelope's heart began to thud. "I need to go," Penelope suddenly said and tried to take a clearer breath. "Things will start going right. Promise, Hot Stuff. Erm, enjoy your trip, but I need to go," She rushed him off of the phone and closed her cell, clasping it to her chest.

JJ approached with Penelope's eye drops and looked at her friend, "What just happened there?"

"His family love me," Penelope replied and looked at JJ sadly. "He even said that their proudest moment was him accepting to marry me even if it was for the money. They were never happier for him to accept me like he has."

"Ever thought that's the point of all this?" JJ asked the simplest question. "You see arranged marriages work all over the world. What makes Derek Morgan different?" JJ asked another question as though it were the simplest thing in the world. "He's worth falling in love with," JJ said sympathetically as she took to Penelope's side. "I can see that now."

Penelope looked at her friend, "But it's never going to end well is it?"

JJ could only be truthful. However much she wanted to believe that this arranged marriage would last, Penelope's pessimism would win over this – So she just shook her head and gave her friend the thing she needed.

No argument.


	9. For You

**Disclaimer: I do not own a thing!**

**A/N: **_ Oh my, I didn't mean to take a break this long guys! I am so, so sorry! Life is a bit manic but I will try for quicker updates!_

_For now, enjoy and know how thankful I am to your reviews =)_

**The Eligible Bachelor **_– Part 9_

* * *

Penelope had to admit that falling victim to her mother's wants were just making even more miserable than she had ever been before in her life. Little did anyone know was the real reason she took to running away to Paris and London was because she wasn't near her family's influence.

When growing up, she was made to feel like the inadequacy. She was the forgotten child in comparison to her brothers which was why she had taken up being a trouble maker. It was a ploy to get noticed and when it hadn't work she left the family.

Coming back was her last strike to make it in the family and ever since she hated every moment of it. All except that of meeting up with Derek Morgan again.

Now she was sat in the apartment's kitchen eating breakfast, knowing full well that Derek had crawled into bed late last night after arriving back after his mini trip away with his father. She really envied him for the love and connection he shared with them all. They appreciated him –all of him – the good and the bad side of him and they never asked him to change for them. How did she get so unlucky that her family wanted her to be someone she wasn't? Why couldn't they see how unhappy she was with all of this?

Hearing his door open, Penelope felt nervous as she remembered this was the first time he was going to see her without glasses on. This was the start of Penelope 2.0 making an appearance. She saw him and smiled, and got that bright smirk back. God she had missed him. Suddenly she watched the smile disappeared and knew he had noticed she was without glasses.

"Where are your glasses?" Derek asked, his brow furrowed with thought. "I thought you were practically blind without them."

Penelope shrugged, "I had laser eye surgery." She didn't give details, she just carried on eating. It had been two days since her other eye had been done and now she didn't need to hide much from bright lights. Telling him about the surgery didn't worry her; it made her a little bit more aesthetically attractive.

"What? When?" Derek questioned, his tone a little hard at this sudden change of plans. He refused to sit down until he had complete answers out of her.

"Friday," Penelope grumbled and looked at him with a smile, "Welcome back by the way, I made breakfast."

"Hang on," Derek stopped her from going further with changing the subject. "Did you know this was going to happen all along when we were out the other night?" He saw her shrug and try to put her attention on eating. "You did, didn't you?"

"Yes," She whispered and looked up at him. "My mother's had it planned for quite a while and I couldn't cancel it and you were going away so I just didn't tell you." She looked at him, trying hard not to break, "It's really no big deal."

"No big deal?" He asked her incredulously, lost at how she didn't take this as a big deal.

"Excuse me?" Charles, the house keeper, called out as he walked in on their conversation. He saw the pair look up and he continued. "The car will be out front to take you to the clinic in about ten minutes, Miss Penelope," Charles spoke up interrupting the moment to alert Penelope entirely.

"Thank you," Penelope responded and even though she smiled, she couldn't hide the quake of fear that hit the middle of her appreciation.

"What clinic?" Derek asked, food forgotten. "Are you okay?"

Penelope nodded, and sat up straight, "My mother wants me to have a consultation," Penelope said to him honesty and carried on eating her breakfast.

"Quit with the cryptic sentences and jump to it," Derek fought with her, it was too early to start with the guessing games. "What clinic? What for?"

"Plastic surgery," Penelope response was whispered and short and she averted her eye contact.

"Hell no!" Derek bellowed as he pushed away from the counter, his stall falling to the marbled floor with a clatter. "Why the hell would you even be contemplating it, or hell why would you mother?"

"My mom wants me to go and get _improved_," Penelope shrugged, "I'm trying to be what she wants me to be, Derek. This is part of that. She wants me to be a better daughter and she knows how to make me that."

"No," Derek defied her claim, "She's trying to change her daughter into a monster. I won't let her do that, Penelope. There is no way you are going to that appointment."

"You don't get a say," Penelope reminded him gently that they weren't really some amazing partnership.

"As your fiancé I fucking do!" Derek bellowed, slamming his fist to the granite to the counter top and he watched Penelope flinch, "Over my dead body, Penelope. You've already lost a part of you just by ditching the glasses; you're going to let her change you into someone I don't even know?"

"Why are you being so macho over this?" Penelope asked him, her brow furrowed. "You'll be the sole benefactor out of this in the long run. I'll actually look Derek Morgan worthy by the end of all this. You won't be the laughing stock anymore after this." She paused, pushing her food away and standing in front of him, ready to leave, "So why the hell would you be worried about me looking like this, Morgan?"

She didn't even stand a chance as his response came thick and fast.

Derek kissed her. No words, no excuses, just one kiss. In the one connection of their lips he cupped her face with his hands and didn't allow her to leave his grasp and end the kiss and when he felt her give into it, he gave it more. The intensity rose, the sexual tingle in him bypassed his expectations and he gave his all for one kiss for once in his life. Pulling away, he looked at Penelope, his eyes heavy with the aftermath of that kiss. With a heavy breath, he slowly spoke to her: "I fucking fell in love with _you_, Penelope. That's why I don't want you to change."

Penelope smiled as he loosened his hands on her face. If it wasn't for the almighty Derek Morgan tone she might have thought he was lying to her.

"You," He whispered and kissed her again quickly. "Don't change for anyone. I love you the way you are. All of you. I just fucking love you."


	10. What You Do To Me

**Disclaimer: I do not own a thing!**

**A/N: **_ I am so, so, so sorry for the wait! My muse did dry up then stressful life took over and then Christmas... Forgive me? Please? ;)_

_I hope you enjoy and ignore my mistakes! _

_**RATED M**_

**The Eligible Bachelor **_– Part 10_

* * *

Pulling away, Penelope tried not to cry but she couldn't help it. Everything that had happened since being thrust into this life was coming to ahead now and it scared her. Did she please the man her heart desired or did she please her family?

"Baby, why are you crying?" He asked panicked by the sight of her tears.

"Because I fell in love with you and just thought it was me that felt it," She replied and her bottom lip began to wobble but as she met his eyes she was shocked to see how much love really was staring back at her. "I just wanted to be perfect, Derek."

"You are perfect," Derek told her, reaching up to wipe her eyes clean of the tears.

"Perfect enough for you?" She asked meekly and tried to stable her breathing as she panicked that this would be short lived. "I mean I've seen those girls that follow you around and I've seen your hook ups, Derek," She began to ramble, "I'm not them."

"Exactly," Derek started and gave her a smile, "None of them are you. You give me something so much more than those women ever did. They were there for a physical gratification, but you, Penelope, you're here for so many different reasons. You've loved me, cared for me, taking me as I am every day and you challenge me." He leaned in and rested his hand to her chin, making her look to him fully without a chance to drop her head again, "I could imagine my life away with you, Penelope."

As a blush swept its way over her cheeks like wildfire, Penelope felt Derek's hand come to place itself over the top it. This man was majestic with his touch and she knew she either gave herself to him wholly or she forgot this ever happened.

For once, Penelope wanted to take the plunge and just dive into this.

"You do realise I am a bit of a loner right?" Penelope asked him, her tone serious as she felt the urge to clean her slate to him. "I don't get attached to many people because they always wind up leaving me. You have a wide social circle, an-and I don't fit into that. We know that already, Derek. I don't want to ruin your life. I can't be a girl that does that."

"Why are you trying to stop this, Pen?" He asked her, his tone hurt by her sudden word vomit. "I like the fact that the friends you keep close are true friends and care for you. I like that you don't have a wide social circle around you because I don't have to share you and, Penelope, most of my friends aren't even my friends." He watched her gaze him soulfully, "You're my first true friend. If you're all I have then I will die a happy man."

"Really?"

Derek nodded and grinned with an affirmative. "Really," He replied to her and kissed her as he began to peel her dressing gown from her shoulders. "I want to show you how honest I am being."

Immediately freezing, Penelope panicked. Was this his ploy with all the ladies he had bedded? Did he sweet talk them and then sleep with them? God, she wouldn't survive being another statistic in the metaphorical Derek Morgan sex chart. She couldn't be another notch in the bedpost to him when she had fallen head over heels in love with him.

"Do you trust me?" Derek asked her, trying to read her expression.

She looked into his eyes and admittedly she trusted Derek the most out of everyone she knew. She trusted him implicitly with her life. "Yes," She breathed and reached up to kiss him showing him how ready she was to take this moment forward.

She took the chance of being another notch because she really did love him and sadly, it was the best thing she had going in her life.

Before she knew, Penelope was in her room, practically undressed and being smothered with kisses by Derek. He worked fast that was for sure! For once, it didn't bother her. Penelope did think that this meant that the moment would be complete instantly, but when she found herself doused with kisses that tantalised her nipples and his fingers brushing across her clitoris, she knew the ecstasy he would cause would be divine.

Penelope felt his fingertips dance across the soft curves of her body, and unlike before, she felt like she actually knew what it felt like to be electrified by another man's touch. This, with Derek, wasn't anything like it had been before. Their bodies responded to one another with ease and she knew she was right to give in to him.

Feeling him grip her hips, he positioned her, but she didn't have chance to brace herself as he thrust into her, eliciting heaven upon them both. "God, you're so tight," He breathed with the first thrust. His tone was taut, but she caught the undertones of delight at how she felt around him. He withdrew so he could thrust back into her with ease and he couldn't help himself, "You're perfect."

Penelope felt alive by not only Derek's words but by what he was delivering upon her body. She couldn't talk; all she could do was dig her nails into him with pleasure as he filled her. She had allowed her eyes to close a couple of times, but as Derek picked up pace she looked at him and saw the exertion he was offering. He then looked at her, a twinkle in his eyes she had never seen before and then she felt her body heighten with response and her eyes rolled back.

He kept her body alive right until the moment of orgasm and he found it easy to just gain rhythm and an ease to be in tune with a woman and the orgasm that took over his body and made him collapse against Penelope was out of this world. Derek thought he had felt every type of sexual release under the sun, but this was nothing like before.

Lying next to her, Derek watched her recover from their first time of allowing their bodies find one another and he had to smile. "You are actually the most beautiful woman I have ever slept with," He told her honestly and saw her smirk as though not to believe him.

"I'm sure that's a lie," She told him as she shifted onto her side to look at him.

Derek didn't say anything to diminish that thought, but decided he needed to get the whole truth out. "I have a confession," He began, making it seem like he was changing the subject and he knew Penelope took it that way.

"Oh yeah," Penelope prompted, not looking up at him. "What's that?"

"I have never made love to a woman," He admitted ashamed of himself and he just kept staring up at the ceiling, his arm wrapped around Penelope keeping her close to him. "Until just now."

Penelope felt her heart stop.

"Whatever you've done to me since us meeting each other please carry on doing it," Derek asked Penelope and practically sounded desperate as he asked her. "I like the man I am around you."

Tearing up at that thought, Penelope knew she had to move this onwards or she would wind up crying in front of him and after that little session, she didn't want that. "Can I carry on doing it with food in my stomach?" Penelope asked with a suggestive smirk on her face. This would continue well after eating and she would show him why she was way above those other women he had.

"I think for what I have planned we need a full stomach," He teased back at her and watched her stand up to quickly drag clothes onto her body. He quickly followed her actions and then dragged her to the kitchen, unable to keep his hands off of her.

Making their way, their idea of food was just a bowl of ice cream and sitting opposite each other on the large kitchen island. They spoke about everything and nothing. Derek expressed how he didn't want her to change, and how he had actually fallen in love with her the first moment he saw her. After all, she was the first woman who spoke back at him and never backed down.

It didn't take them long to realise that what they both really craved, they found in one another – love.

As conversation continued, Penelope had never felt more comfortable around Derek than she did now. She got lost in the comfort and relaxed wholly in his presence. If he loved her like he said he did, then he would love her for all of her quirks. It was better to find that out now rather than later. Near enough licking the spoon clean, Penelope had to giggle as she caught Derek watching her. "What?" She exclaimed, feeling embarrassed for being watched.

"Getting a bit sensual with the spoon eh, Baby Girl?" Derek commented with an extremely amused smirk on his face. He had his hand poised above his own bowl, but his attention was wholly on the woman that stolen his heart.

She had to laugh at his description, "I like ice cream and it seems to taste so much better after sex."

"I guess we better be getting a lot of ice cream in," Derek commented, waggled his eyebrows at her before getting another spoonful of the ice cream.

Penelope knew this new life was going to be a scarily more exhilarating one.

It was all too good to be true when Elena let herself into the house, ripping through the perfected bliss with a voice full of anger. "Penelope Elena Garcia, how dare you defy me!"

Gulping, Penelope should have known her happiness was going to be short lived.


	11. Change for the Better

**Disclaimer: I do not own a thing!**

**A/N: **_ Don't hate me! Hate my muse! It likes other things than Criminal Minds when it comes to writing and well, I am kinder hoping when the new season kick starts over here in the UK that I'll find it back... Especially with all the MG I hear is happening ;) _

_However, I hope this gets the response I want out of you ;) Thank you and enjoy!_

**The Eligible Bachelor **_– Part 11_

* * *

"Hello mother," Penelope gulped as she spun around on her seat at the breakfast bar before slipping off onto her feet.

"Don't _hello mother_ me!" Elena shouted back with utter dissipating anger. "I ask minimal things of you and you just continue to disregard my orders. I knew you were a stubborn child, but Christ, Penelope, you are now twenty-five years old, be reasonable." She saw Penelope's face pale furthermore. "I got your an appointment and you disregard my orders and skip it, but don't worry though. I managed to get you an appointment for in an hour so let's get your ready and we can go together."

"I'm not going," Penelope stood her ground and was pleased when Derek came to stand beside her. He was like a temple of strength beside her and she could never be thankful enough for him. Apparently since their intimate moment of unison happened their bodies seem to act as one now.

"Oh you are," Elena bit back with a tone so full of ferocity that she wasn't going to back down lightly.

"Hang on, hang on," Derek jumped in this time. "Now is this for you or Penelope?" Derek asked stupidly and watched Elena look at him. He let out a disbelieving laugh before continuing, "Because if you ask me, it looks like what you want and not what others wants."

"It's for everyone and the greater good," Elena stated with clarity and placed her hand to her hip.

"Really?" Derek asked in utter disbelief, he couldn't see the _greater good _happening.

"God, Derek look at her!" Elena pointed at her daughter. "Take a good hard look at her."

Penelope dropped her gaze hoping that Derek wouldn't look at her. She felt ashamed and at her lowest peak. Her mother was ashamed of her so why shouldn't Derek be? How could her mother want to change her so much and make it a plan to send her to a doctor to be changed for forever? Penelope felt like her mother had created a monster not a daughter and Penelope loathed every single minute of it.

"Is that really someone you want to be on the front of every tabloid married to her?" Elena asked Derek, "Think carefully, because she will be beside you until you get your money and it will be a stigma you are left with long after your divorce is finalised." Elena stood up straighter then and looked at the pair, "Why waste this when you have the opportunity to transform her into a girl of your dreams. One that everyone in America will look at and believe you two are a match made in heaven?"

"We already are," Derek's voice came strained as he reframed from physically hurting Elena in ways that he hated himself for even thinking. "I do look at her and it's the woman before me that I fell in love with so how dare you try and fucking change her into something I could never love," Derek spat at Elena and didn't care that it was his soon to be mother-in-law. "Penelope deserves so much better than you, you twisted, miserable bitch."

"Excuse me?" Elena asked in utter disgust, her hand on her chest in the horror. "I am helping the matter at hand."

"Penelope is not a matter, she is a person. No, scratch that, she is_ your_ daughter," Derek bit back with a venomous tone. "She doesn't need changing. She's perfect the way she is."

"The way she is?" Elena laughed, "Trust me there is a lot to Penelope that could do with a _lot_ of changing but it appears only so much can be changed."

"She's funny and caring and beautiful," Derek started to say and gave out a smile as he thought about Penelope. "She's shown me how to be a better person and god; she's made my life a hell of a lot brighter. You, however, just keep dampening a good thing! You can't even see how amazing she is because you think money will buy you everything else. You're making her into something you can never be."

"Don't be stupid," Elena tried to silence Derek with a three word sentence and a swift swat of her hand in the air between them.

"No, you are. You're so wrapped up in this idea of whatever the fuck it is that you don't even see what an amazing daughter it is you have."

Elena laughed, "My amazing daughter has been nothing but issues to me since she was child, Derek, and that is all she will be for you. She runs her mouth, disrespects and does nothing to obey the people she should obey."

"So taking her right away to how she looks is doing her a favour? It's not your life, it's hers to live so why is it your love to make her miserable?" Derek asked his soon to be mother-in-law and could only feel himself getting agitated with this argument. Penelope's mother was crazy in his mind and he would never grow to like her, not now, not ever.

"I am doing what's best for the Garcia family," Elena stated with a stubborn tone. "That's it. We have a name to uphold and a status to keep at a prime level."

As Penelope listened to her mother speak, she felt like an object ready to be pawned and shifted for a better change. Unlike how Derek's mother looked after him, Elena only did what was best for her – not her children.

And Penelope had never felt this unloved in her entire life. She had never felt so much as a disappointment and an embarrassment as she did right now and all of the insecurities she felt as a direct result of her surname reared their ugly head at her, taunting her, teasing her, torturing her with their vicious words.

And the dominant voice in them all belonged to her mother.

"I thought you loved me," Penelope whispered as she suddenly looked to her mother tearfully and she felt a tear escaped her lips. "But I now see the only thing you look at me with is absolute hate. Obviously, you can't just love me like I am."

"Oh Penelope, don't be so pathetic," Elena chided Penelope with utter disgust. No remorse for her behaviour towards her own flesh and blood. Then Penelope went to leave, but Elena reached out and grabbed her daughter's hand, "And where do you think you're going?"

"I just need to get away for a moment," Penelope said fleeing the room, an argument ensuing from just behind her. She hated that she felt like evil had a helping hand in making her and she hated that her mother felt it right to bully her into a shell of herself.

But Penelope wasn't to know that evil lurked just outside her front door.


	12. The Horrible Truth

**Disclaimer: I do not own a thing!**

**A/N: **_ I'm getting worse at writing CM I swear! But alas, I use what I got and give you what I got! =) Thank you and enjoy!_

**The Eligible Bachelor **_– Part 12_

* * *

Derek had stayed up way past midnight waiting on Penelope to come home and he had taken several trips out to find her but he had come up empty. The next day he had stayed facing the front door to the apartment, and the following day he had gone out looking for her. Three days later he was feeling lost and he couldn't hold it in anymore.

A week without Penelope told him that he needed to force the police harder and he had to get Elena to quit with her blasé attitude. His family were worried for Penelope, but her own didn't care.

"Maybe do it in the morning," Fran told her son and tried to pull him back to the couch to calm down. However, when she was shaken off she knew he had to do this and a small part of her agreed he had kept his silence for too long and now Penelope needed more force behind finding her.

"What?" Elena groaned down the phone sleepily, "It is half one in the morning, this better be fucking good. I am losing sleep over this."

"Oh, quit your complaining," Derek stopped Elena's complaint, "I don't even know why I'm even bothering you with this but Penelope's still not home and her cell is still not working out. Are you not even a little bit worried?"

"No," Came Elena's stone cold tone, "I wouldn't worry, Derek. She disappears like this all the time when things aren't going her way."

"She isn't some petulant child!" Derek shouted at Elena, "Fuck, why would I expect you to care. She has me as a reason to not run anymore so I think it's time you looked at the bigger picture. All Penelope has done the last few weeks is for you and to keep you happy and even then she wasn't enough for you. I hope her being taken wakens her up or I will tell her I don't care about the money and I am taking her away from you."

Elena laughed, "I'm her mother, she'll want me over some man."

"We'll see. I love your daughter and I love every piece of her the way she is, but if she comes home I will make sure she no longer has to have your vicious tongue say how imperfect and ugly she is and how much of a disappointment she is to you and your family. Penelope is amazing and I wish her family saw it as much as mine did."

Elena listened to the dead ring of the phone as Derek slammed the phone down and felt her heart thud. She turned over and looked at her husband as he sat wide away on his side of their bed. "Anything?" She asked her husband as he got off the phone as well and gave her a head shake.

"We will find her," He told his wife and took her hand. "We will."

Elena gave a weak smile and prayed her husband was right. She knew Derek would fight to get daughter back but at what cost?

Derek, however, didn't hold such faith in Penelope's parents to do the same and why would he? What he had seen of them was nothing more of cruel, careless greed driven actions. That call had been two days ago and he was still reeling from it.

A part of Derek wanted to believe that she had run, but she couldn't have done that without a car, money, luggage and passport. She wouldn't be able to flee to London or Paris like she loved. If she ran, she was safe. If she hadn't then Derek could only imagine her hurt or worse.

He didn't want to lose the best thing he had when he had just got her and had her admitting love to him. He had her between the sheets one moment, lapping up life the next, and then being bullied so much she felt her only plan was to run. Derek hadn't that she had left under those predicaments and not happier ones.

For that he wanted nothing more than for her to come through the door and hold her close and promise her that he wanted to run off with her next time. He wanted to be by her side every day of their life together.

He just didn't know if he was going to get that chance anymore and that scared him and stole a part of him every time he thought about it.

Hearing his phone got off; he saw he had another text from Tyler. Derek grunted a little, maybe he was going to try and drag him out again to find a decent woman that would fulfil Derek's needs seeing as Tyler believed Penelope couldn't. He knew he would be going out with Tyler and if anything he would delete the bastard from his life forever making her feeling back about herself.

Opening the text he saw a picture come up and he half expected to see Tyler's latest fling, boobs out, pout on lips and looking as skanky as ever. However that wasn't the case this time.

What he saw made his blood run cold and his heart stopped. He heard his mother ask if he were okay but he ignored her and ignored his sister's. He told them to read the police and then he got up with picking his phone up as he did so. He dialled the Garcia's, his breath a heated heave, "She's gone! I hope you are happy, she's been taken and you told me she disappears all the time. She hasn't for months and now someone kidnapped her for a ransom. Your money got her taken!"

"I wasn't to know," Elena spoke in a blasé tone, wiping away the man's concern.

"No, you weren't to care, Elena. The way you treated her the other day, the way you always treat her why would you care? Fuck, you even forgot her birthday! You don't care when she's sad or when she's ill. You don't care when she's so close to fucking tears before your eyes and you don't even love her for being the free spirit she is! You just saw her as a problem." Derek was near tears at this point, "Well she is your problem now, because someone is waiting for your money in order to get her back to us!"

"Oh don't be ridiculous," Elena tried to fob him off gently.

"She's been abducted!" Derek bellowed out, unable to hide his fit of rage. After seeing his girl on the floor, bound and gagged, tears striking her face, a cut to her forehead, Derek was angered, he was fuelled with hatred and a putrid need to reap revenge. Looking back to the text he saw Tyler was asking for ransom in exchange for Penelope and it had to come from the Garcia's.

"I know. I know Tyler's got her as well," Elena's voice came back and Derek dropped the phone as he felt his head begin to spin.

Penelope's mother knew she was taken?


	13. Lessons Learned

**Disclaimer: I do not own a thing!**

**A/N: **_ I'm sorry for the MIA! My Criminal Minds muse is more than a little dead I fear! So bear with me and I will try and update as quickly as I possibly can!_

_Now thank you everyone and enjoy!_

**The Eligible Bachelor **_– Part 13_

* * *

"You knew?" Derek asked, his tone taut and seething with fire as his aggression spread through him like wild fire. "So why the fuck is he asking for a ransom?" Derek asked, he had been at the Garcia's for nearly two hours and wasn't getting anywhere fast with Elena. "Spill it!"

"I orchestrated it to scare her into being more compliment," Elena spoke as if her sin was long forgiven. "I just want my daughter to understand her family will do anything to improve her life."

"You are a deluded sick son of a bitch! How does that mind work?" Derek asked and put his hands to his head in despair. There were police crawling everywhere but, none knew just yet of Penelope's mother's input to her disappearance and Derek wanted to know before the police took over and then he would never know. "You made her feel so insignificant and hated by this family and you think paying someone to kidnap her is going to make her realise she loves you. She does that already, it's her who loves you," Derek ground out and then practically hissed out the anger. "And Tyler hates her!"

"He won't get physical with her," Elena stepped in quickly trying to form a defence to her crime. "I paid him enough to make sure he didn't touch her."

"Paid him enough?" Derek scoffed, "Love, he's blackmailed you into giving up more money!"

"You did this?" Penelope's father asked as he stepped into the room to calm the situation. However what he heard made his blood run cold and his heart near enough shatter. He watched Elena advance towards him, mumbling her apologises and he pushed her away. "Get off me," Penelope's father scolded and faced his wife in a ferocious nature. "For weeks I have watched you bully and belittle our daughter and now this! I don't know who you are! You sent me off and I only saw the aftermath of your actions and she's now kidnapped and you don't seem to care."

"I did it for the family!" Elena argued, "To bring us together. To show Penelope that we would give up money for her wellbeing at the drop of a hat and that she was a priority. I did it to make us closer." Elena was now crying so hard her breaths were stunted and she was heaving, "I didn't mean for this to happen."

"You know I allow you to make me a weak man, Elena, but now anymore! This has gone too far now!" Penelope's father practically bellowed, "That daughter of mine, the one that rebels and runs off is the daughter I'm proud of. Not the one you're transforming her into. I'm taking charge now. The wedding you've planned is and so is the inheritance deal. She gets it whatever. She doesn't have to marry to get it."

"Oh, I will making sure she's married soon," Derek barked, "To me."

"You want her like she is?" Elena scoffed, unable to help herself for a moment. "We'll see if she wants you when she gets back shall we?"

Derek was in utter disbelief at hearing Elena and knew he had to get out of here. They were able to find Penelope, they only had a lead. He wanted to go home and be close to a part of Penelope, "I don't want to hear this!" Derek spat and on his way out he told the police just what had happened.

**-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Eligible Bachelor -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-**

She didn't understand why he did, or why Tyler let her go but she wished it were all just a dream.

Alas, it wasn't and she was living with the pain of it all. She had no idea why he did it, but she could assume money was involved. Damn her family's wealth and now she was done. She wanted nothing to do with the money because she felt dirty as a result. She loved Derek, that she knew, but she could marry him just for the money. She would marry him for his side of the deal and she would make herself poor. She would refuse the money and if Derek didn't want to be married to a poor girl then so be it.

Penelope stood in front of her bathroom mirror, her breathing a heave, her head pounding and her entire body alive with hurt stimuli. She had endured rounds of beatings before the money made it and when they had what they wanted they sent her home with nothing but the minimal clothes on her back and her house key.

After hours of walking with no car taking a damn bit of notice, she had made it to the front lobby of the apartment complex her and Derek lived in. She ducked her head and walked in sharply and was quite glad to realise that it was still the middle of the night.

Now she was home, she could feel how bad the beating was and after lifting her top up as much as she could, Penelope saw the damage and it wasn't pretty. Her entire abdomen was covered in red and black marks showing how much damage was done and the fact that she couldn't breathe too well only showed her that she was damaged beyond belief to her ribs.

_Get some ice_, Penelope tried to soothe herself. If she could get some ice and rest then everything could be forgotten about and dealt with in the new light of day. She would feel better after resting. For being gone just over twenty four hours seem to do a lot of damage so irrationally she felt twenty four hours rest would do her a lot of good.

Clasping a hand around the door frame she tried to keep herself up right, just until she made it to the bed, but it was useless. How was she supposed to make it to the bed and then to the kitchen to get some ice if she could barely make it out of the bathroom?

Her legs grew wobblier as her body grew weaker and she dropped to the floor with a loud resounding thud. Laying there she felt her body wanting to give up on her and all she wanted was Derek. Beginning to sob, Penelope just let her tears fall against the hard wooden floor and slowly began to cave to the whispering darkness around her.

Even when she heard the front door burst open and angry voices, the lullaby of darkness was far too strong to ignore.

"I just need to be alone," Derek's voice sounded out as it got closer to her. She could hear him approaching her room and she tried to feel herself awake. "Fuck! Mom, call for an ambulance! Penelope's in here!" He screamed as came to Penelope's aid. "Penelope!" She heard break her pained haze and she fought to open her eyes again to see the owner of the voice. She heard different footsteps before the voice carried out into the air around her, "Baby Girl, what the hell?" She recognised it now as Derek's voice and she felt willing to give up now he was here.

He watched her open her eyes as much as she could and then she just started crying. Derek slowly moved her off of her front and she grabbed onto him. She didn't want to let go of finally feeling safe. He just held onto her, soothing her as much as he could right now.

"Ambulance is coming," Fran said as she came to Penelope's side.

Derek looked at his mom as Penelope's crying stopped and she closed her eyes and gave into the consuming pain, "I can't lose her, mom." He felt himself begin to cry, "I love her too much to lose her. I can't lose her now."

And for once, Fran saw Penelope as the richest thing in Derek's world.


End file.
